View Full Version : Caithness Road and Rail Communications
Will better road and rail communications bring prosperity to the county or will it just make what there is now easier to leave? I have noticed that when I have tried to but something over the internet then some companies fefuse point blank to deliver this far or the add a substantial delivery surcharge. This makes local shops more competitive. So if delivery times were reduced by better communications then will wealth drain more easily out of the county?:confused
I don't think wealth will drain out of the county due to improved delivery routes per se, because there is a great deal more choice with new shops arriving here (in Wick at least) and that ought to generate quite a bit of extra cash. However, I would worry about trade being directed away from the county if these new bigger stores ever close....
Will better road and rail communications bring prosperity to the county or will it just make what there is now easier to leave? I have noticed that when I have tried to but something over the internet then some companies fefuse point blank to deliver this far or the add a substantial delivery surcharge. This makes local shops more competitive. So if delivery times were reduced by better communications then will wealth drain more easily out of the county?:confused
Many companies seem to have crazy postcode lists that put us offshore - I even saw one with Inverness surcharged. Usually worth a firm geography lesson to sort them out. Don't think better road/rail will make much difference as more people are shopping online these days wherever they are. Fact of life like small shops closing. Unless of course you live in Frinton :)
orkneylass
02-Aug-06, 19:15
You should try actually being offshore.......
Better road and rail links can only bring prosperity and make living this far north more viable for more people. Scotland is predicted to have the biggest population decline in Europe over the next 30 years and remote areas are particulraly vulnerable. Young families are far more likely to stay, or to move up, if they can get to relatives and on holiday more easily than they can now. I've seen so many families move to Orkney and really happy here until a relative takes ill down south ..... then they are forced to rethink as it is so expensive and time consuming to get south in a hurry.
As a regular traveller to the north, I have long been appalled by the high cost of transport.
I read that there is a great need to open up The Highlands and Islands but with the exorbitant cost of flights and rail tickets many must be deterred.
Whilst appreciating that the resident population is not large and therefore do not generate sufficient business there must be a way to reduce fairs in order that the regional airports and rail links would be more fully utilised.
I was amazed the last time I needed to return to my home county to discover that the air fare had almost halved and that getting a seat was going to be a real problem.
I decided to explore the matter and found that British Airways had sold their franchise for the route to a local businessman as they had decided it was no longer a viable route.
Well their loss was my gain along with many others, all flights now fly full and there is a healthy traffic in both directions the route now runs at a profit and because of the extra passengers the two regional airports that it touches down at have had to employ more staff.
HUMMMM any entrepeneurs in Caithness that would like to buy the route to Wick?
Kaishowing
02-Aug-06, 23:21
Perhaps if the railway was faster than a journey by road, there would be more people willing to use the service??!!?
Then perhaps fare rates would be allowed to adjust to reflect the more popular service.
I've used the railway loads of times to get down to Inverness, but the time it takes is unreal.... On the way back, after leaving Euston at 21:30 the previous night, hanging around in Inverness sation waiting for the train to Wick, only to know that you face hour after hour and stop after stop on the way is almost enough to have you running up and down the train in severe hysterics!
I understand that people use the other stations..... But couldn't there be an express service just for the two stations at the extreme north???
Most of the passengers on the route are from Wick and Thurso anyway!!
Rant over!:Razz
Perhaps if the railway was faster than a journey by road, there would be more people willing to use the service??!!?
Then perhaps fare rates would be allowed to adjust to reflect the more popular service.
I've used the railway loads of times to get down to Inverness, but the time it takes is unreal.... On the way back, after leaving Euston at 21:30 the previous night, hanging around in Inverness sation waiting for the train to Wick, only to know that you face hour after hour and stop after stop on the way is almost enough to have you running up and down the train in severe hysterics!
I understand that people use the other stations..... But couldn't there be an express service just for the two stations at the extreme north???
Most of the passengers on the route are from Wick and Thurso anyway!!
Rant over!:Razz
The journey speeds are restricted because of the type of ground that the line is on. It is bogland, too much vibration at speed may end up having a train derail into the bog.
engiebenjy
03-Aug-06, 09:36
Many companies seem to have crazy postcode lists that put us offshore - I even saw one with Inverness surcharged. Usually worth a firm geography lesson to sort them out. Don't think better road/rail will make much difference as more people are shopping online these days wherever they are. Fact of life like small shops closing. Unless of course you live in Frinton :)
I usually end up contacting companies and pointing out that it costs no more to send something via the royal mail to caithness than it does to kent. Quite often they agree and offer to send it via the mail rather than a courier.
I think that improved road and rail links will only serve the community better - the journey rather than the distance puts them off at the moment. I for one nly go to Inverness when absolutely necessary for shopping, and often it is when we are passing through anyway. This is because I can find most things I need here, or on the internet.
I usually end up contacting companies and pointing out that it costs no more to send something via the royal mail to caithness than it does to kent. Quite often they agree and offer to send it via the mail rather than a courier.
I think that improved road and rail links will only serve the community better - the journey rather than the distance puts them off at the moment. I for one nly go to Inverness when absolutely necessary for shopping, and often it is when we are passing through anyway. This is because I can find most things I need here, or on the internet.
Exactly. These companies just have a list of postcodes they are told are offshore when they are actually mainland. I can sort of understand KW which presumably is Kirkwall but Inverness ???? As I said - geography lesson required. They are usually quite happy to accept that we're on the mainland once it is explained and anyway employees of larger companies simply don't care.
Train times are crazy and it's not just to Wick/Thurso (didn't know we were likely to land in bog if it went faster) but same thing applies going south. Until you get to the border they mostly stop everywhere. A couple of direct trains between Inverness and Wick/Thurso would certainly help and the train itself wouldn't need to travel any faster. I suppose there would be some problem with the fact that it's single track.
A few years ago, I was responsible for ordering vital stores for HM Customs & Excise front line officers through out Scotland. I had ordered certain items to be sent to the Lerwick HMC&E,from our HM Supply Branch in the south of England.
A few days later I got a phone call from HM Supply Branch, asking me for the name of the nearest railway station to Lerwick, I replied Bergen. There was a stunned silence.....followed by an expletive and a question asking if I was taking the (michael) not the actual word, Bergen is in (an other expletive) Norway.
I agreed, more expletives and questios about my legitimacy followed.
I then had to tell the (gentleman and I say that loosely) that Red Star did not deliver to Lerwick.
After a few minutes of diplomatic negotiation, I was able to give the afore mentioned gentleman a geogaphical lesson on the difficulties of delivering good to places like Orkney and Zetland. Deliveries to Caithness could be nearly as difficult due to the KW i.e. Kirkwall post code
KW is Wick's postcode, not just Kirkwall so yes it's unfair. I had an argument with a guy from ebay not so long ago. He was adimant that Aberdeen was in the highlands so would therefore cost more to post. I pointed out that Aberdeen was in the Grampians and not the Highlands, and anyway the cost is by weight not area. Anyway after serveral emails he finally agreed with me and I got the item posted for the same price as everyone else. So it's not just applicable to the highlands when getting stuff posted from England.
KW is Wick's postcode, not just Kirkwall so yes it's unfair. I had an argument with a guy from ebay not so long ago. He was adimant that Aberdeen was in the highlands so would therefore cost more to post. I pointed out that Aberdeen was in the Grampians and not the Highlands, and anyway the cost is by weight not area. Anyway after serveral emails he finally agreed with me and I got the item posted for the same price as everyone else. So it's not just applicable to the highlands when getting stuff posted from England.
KW, is the post for Orkney and Caithness, because the first two letters of any post code is taken from the town or city who has a General Post Office, and I presume that Wick on Thurso's Post Offices were smaller then Kirkwall's
Ok, never realised that Golach. You really are the font of all knowledge aren't you ;)
Ok, never realised that Golach. You really are the font of all knowledge aren't you ;)
Tisme, no I am not the font of all knowledge,never claimed to be, just a humble postman when Post Codes were introduced in the 1970's
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